Former President Donald Trump reportedly sent a cease and desist letter to the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to make them stop using his name and likeness in fundraising emails and on merchandise.
The committees are the three largest entities through which the Republican Party raises money for their campaigns.
A Trump adviser told Politico about the letters which come after reports said Friday that Mr Trump was enraged that his name and likeness had been used to raise money for organisations that would then help reelect Republican members of Congress who voted to impeach him.
Ten Republicans voted to impeach Mr Trump in the House and seven Republican Senators later voted to convict him. Mr Trump was acquitted with 57 Senators voting to convict, ten short of the threshold of 67 Senators required to remove a President from office.
Mr Trump made a fortune in licensing, selling his name to be used for different products and other commercial initiatives. Mr Trump has always been very cognizant of how his image and name has been used to support members of his party and in fundraising, both after as well as while he was in office, Politico reported.
The RNC sent out two emails Friday asking supporters to donate to add their name to a thank you card to Mr Trump.
The email said: “President Trump will ALWAYS stand up for the American People, and I just thought of the perfect way for you to show that you support him!
“As one of President Trump’s MOST LOYAL supporters, I think that YOU, deserve the great honor of adding your name to the Official Trump ‘Thank You’ Card.”
The second email was sent hours later to “President Trump’s TOP supporters” to remind them of a 10-hour deadline to donate for their name to be added to the card.
Politico reported that people within the GOP say privately that it’s impossible not to use the Trump name as he’s so popular with the base of the Republican Party. If Mr Trump is serious about winning back control of Congress in 2022, they argue that he needs to be more willing to allow his name and likeness to be used.
But a Trump advisor told the outlet: “President Trump remains committed to the Republican Party and electing America First conservatives, but that doesn’t give anyone, friend or foe, permission to use his likeness without explicit approval.”
Mr Trump is already making his presence known ahead of the 2022 midterms, calling out every single Republican who voted for his impeachment by name in his speech at CPAC.
“The Republicans In Name Only that we’re surrounded with will destroy the Republican Party and the American worker and will destroy our country itself,” he said in the speech.
He added that he would be “actively working to elect strong, tough and smart Republican leaders”.
Going against the wishes of House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Mr Trump endorsed a primary challenger of Ohio Republican Anthony Gonzalez, CNN reported. Mr Gonzalez voted to impeach Mr Trump.
